The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-09-07

A Conscript III Female Attire--"a'c :
House for Several D&ys--The Closing
DAYS OF the Rebeuion--i Desperate
Struggle.
In the summer Of 1864 Writ Adams
cavalry, after an arduous campaign
rested to recruit men and horses II
Shepherds old fields in Copiah cou1ty.
Mississippi. Food and forage "s:'
abundant; the hcrses grew fat, ana Sne
lazy life soon wearied the men, |EoSs
home was IN the saddle. ,ciroe dragged
but Sergeant Heath's old Creeper efe'iseo
diversion, one morning, by stamped
ing the brigade horses, which were al
locse at grass. Creeper knew q thing OF
two, and counted on fun when ne iaAo
his plans. Working around the t7o
thousand grazing horses, until all Ws.e
between himself and the camp II tie
woods, the old horse, whose wisdom was
known snd acknowledged throughout
the brigade, took his stand and Sprveyed
the ground. With wild snort AMI q
ringing neigh ne spracg into the herd
What he intended TO convey to the un-
derstsnding Of his fellows l cannot a~T,
but panic seemed 20 seize each separate
beast, and with laundering hoofs they
5ore down upon the camp. Then vas
4here enaountinr in hot haste" the
friendly trees beneath whose shelter We
bivouacked. Mad, blind with az un-
nanad terror, and turning not as:ae,
ike an avalanche the flying squadron
swept through the camp. With ffe
streaming name and tell, head on mga,
and flashing eyes, that old demon Creep
er led his frightened hosts. It was pam
to see that he gloried in the mischief lie
had wrought.
ATTACKING TIE CAVALRY.
The camp monotony was broken at
last when the outlying scouts rcpcrSeo
the advance Of Federal incCrsion from
Bruinsburg, on the Mississippi civ"r.
This force Of white and negro :rcors,
composed OF infantry, cavalry, and hrld
artillery, and amounting in all to about
l,2OO men, had been landed from trans
ports on the river, presumably foc :Le
purpose OF surprising md capturing orr
force at Shepherds old fields. Tin::y
warning enabled General Adams to meet
them more than half way. Eleven miles
south OF Port Gibson is Coleman's laue,
in the county of Jefferson, and here the
advance parties OF the hostile forces nes:
Hot skumishing and an exchange o1
shells from the field batteries On cit e:
side opened the engagement. Hete
curious, and perhaps unique, casualty
occurred. Our cavalry was dismoC@5-
ing, preparatory to &n advance on toos.
An officer was seated OF the top rail o: 8
fence bordering the road. ( shell from
the enemy struck the rail at one e1d
without exploding. The rough rail was
driven with tremendous force from IN
der the officer, leaving great spinner
three or four feet long, and OF the thick
ness of two fingers, trsnshxiDg the En-
happy mans thighs and protecting a
foot or more beyond each hlp. I BE
man swore with rage and pain, repenlng
all approaches on the part Of frienas,
until DR.. Martin coming up forcibiy
broke Of one projection Of the tough
oak and drew ont the remainder from
the other side. The wounds healed and
the captain soon resumed his duties, but
he heard not the last iioe On that "cross
bp.tock" thrust until he met 9 soldier $
death in the closing days Of the struggle.
DRIVING THE FEDERAIS GACK.
The enemy had posted himself in and
about Colenan's dwelling, barns and
outbuil6ings. Here We assaulted him
and drove him out and back sfter short
resistance. The Federal force greatly
outnumbered ours, but would assureosy
have beer captured had the white con-
tincent been as easily demoralized as
we're the negro soldiers. Time after
time these men, composing the rear
eu.r. ss the Federal commander drew
off ms forces, were broken and hurled
helter-skelter upon the main body, and
only the stubborn fighting OF the white
troops enabled any portion OF the com
mand to escape. Darkness fell while we
still pursued them, and the chase was
rot given over until near midnight,
when exhaustion compelled . halt. Day
break found the enemy on board his
transports, and the fleet steamed away
for Nstchez. I have often thought that
had the Federal force been skiilfully
commanded on this occasion General
Adams would have found that this attack
was rash venture. Had bis force been
:. :hird larger not blue coat would have
esoaped. 70 the best of my knowledge
.ae Confederate force did not exceed
hundred men, while am sure !
~ three times that number OF the
enenax, They had also the. advantsge
Of a strong aei5ss> n sa'se.
ton. taken as soon as r1a-.e amare OF
our spprosch. Our first rush, however,
drove them from it, ard their officers
found it impossible fully to rally the
negro troops. They would stand VIXEN
we paused, but each succeeding onset
speedily broke their ranks. Their fire
was very high. Far above our heads the
-ninie bullets sang an angry chorus, and
our loss was trifing. at intervals, when
crossing an eninence, man would fal!
in darkness. Andrew Battle, rugged
Irishman, went back fer Q horse to carry
off the body Of Ed Sueduskie, q mess
mate. s.Whom have you there? be Was
asked from s. bank on the roadside.
.Poor Ed Sue6uskie, rs dead as h
he answered. That's q lie, Battler
replied his questioner, who was none
other than Sueduskie himself. Down
went the unknown dead upon the
groun2, and Battle, with an oath strong
-,,-,coer:ra cf Siecr,sH resumed hi;